


Paper Cranes

by Amoridere



Series: One-Shots [13]
Category: Kill la Kill
Genre: Bittersweet, Diary, Epistolary, Ill Girl
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-21
Updated: 2016-10-03
Packaged: 2018-08-16 10:48:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 3,787
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8099278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amoridere/pseuds/Amoridere
Summary: I heard somewhere that Ryuuko's birthday was October 23rd. I cannot confirm that to be the case or not, as where I had caught wind of it didn't provide a link, so, for the sake of the story, we'll let it slide.





	1. June 3rd

Hiya there, Sats

  
Remember that one time you were folding one them paper cranes? I do and I still have it. It’s really pretty, I should tell you. I remember asking you why but you told me everything was fine. You told me it was something that you wanted to do and that you showed me how to make one.

Remember how, after that, you gave me this book to write in? You didn't tell me why, just the fact that you wanted me to have something. Sats, I really wish you had told me why besides that you "wanted me to have it". Well, I'm writing in it, just writing this note to you about the paper cranes and whatevers.

Thanks, Sats.

\---- 纏 流子


	2. July 1st

 Hey, Sats,

Remember that one time you went to the doctor's?

I do and I remembered that you told me not to worry about ya'. Sats, you know that wasn't cool. The doctor said something and you knew but you didn't tell me. I don't know what they said but I do know you were sick and that it got worse. Sats, why didn't you tell me? You could have told me what it was but they didn't.

Sats, I really wish you did. Of course, you told me that the doctor's would do everything they could and that I'd understand, some day. I guess I would come to understand, then again, I guess a doctor had a reason for why you ask me to walk you up the stairs or why you had hard time breathing or somesuch.

Remember how I asked you if you'd get better? I do and you told me that to hope for the best.

Sats, I lost count of your meds. You took a lot of 'em.

\---- 纏 流子


	3. September 27th

Remember how you said you wanted to go away for a while? You said you did but you said you weren't going alone and that you wanted me to come. I said yes and we went away but I don't remember how long. I remember how you brought me a camera and that you told me to take pictures.

Remember how when the film ran out? You always brought me more and we developed them all. You told me that we would hang them on the wall and we'd tell people about them when they came over and asked. You told me you wanted visitors when we came back home and that we should do stuff and whatevers.

We came home when you got sicker. We hung the pictures on the wall and we had visitors.

The sun'll come out tomorrow, Sats.

\---- 纏 流子


	4. October 15th

Remember how you started sleepin' downstairs for a while? You told me you got too tired to go upstairs and that you couldn't go upstairs without having to carry the breathing tank because it was too heavy or it carrying it made you tired. Of course, you stopped sleeping downstairs when you asked me to take you upstairs so you could sleep in your bed.

When I brought you upstairs to your room, you never really would leave, you’d just stay in bed. Remember how you asked me to make paper cranes with you? I do and we made a bunch of them before you got tired. You wanted to make them blue, so we made a lot of blue ones, each a different kind of blue. It was a like a rainbow but with blues.

Remembered how the next day you wanted different colored ones, too? I do and I asked ya’ what color and you told me whatever colors outside. The leaves were all kinds of orange, reds, and yellows and I told you that, so you asked me to go out and get some paper like that. We made a lot of those ones, too, and then you asked me to get some pink ones and whatevers. We made a lot them, too, and then we hung them up the wall.

You’re welcome, Sats.

\---- 纏 流子


	5. November 20th

Sats,

Remember how you told me you wanted to go out and do something fun? We did and we went to wherever you wanted to go and we took more pictures. We went to the movies and then we went to the muesums but, then, you asked me where did I want to go and then we went to Mako. You were really quiet, Sats, and you just sat next to Mako, while she told you a story, until you had to pee. You peed a moat as Mrs. Mankanshoku would call it and you had to flush twice.

Of course, you would sleep there and we left the next morning but, before the morning after that night, you was jabberin' about stars and how pretty they were.

Sats, were you "starstruck"?

\---- 纏 流子


	6. December 26th

 Hi, Sats,

Remembered how you wanted to get me a present but you didn't know what to get? Well, I do and I never forgot it. You got me something pretty. It was one of them flower clips, one that looked like a rose. You told me I looked pretty with it in my hair and that I always looked pretty. I didn't know what to get you either, Sats, so I got you something. I got you a new pair of slippers and you said how much you always needed a new pair.

Even though you stayed in bed a lot, you always like those slippers. They kept your feet warm and that you liked that. Whenever you were out of bed, you wore those slippers. You even fell asleep in them.

Thank you for your present, Sats.

\---- 纏 流子


	7. January 20th

Hello, Sats

Sats, rememember what your New Year's resolution was? You told me you'd use whatever strength you had to get out of the hospital. Of course, if was December 29th that they put you in the hospital and, to be honest, I don't think they were real keen on letting you out. Sometimes, if I remember right, you would scream that they should send you home because that was where you wanted to go and where you wanted to stay.

You hated being in that hospital, of course. I wish I could have just busted your ass out of there but, then again, I would suppose I would have broke you doing that. You seemed like you were made of glass because you were stuck with tubes and whatevers, along with being tied to an EKG and that oxygen tank. Sometimes, the doctors would let you go outside and I would carry you because they kept giving you the one that smelled like pee.

You would let the wind blow through your hair. You told me that it felt nice. That wasn't the only thing that felt nice to you, Sats. You also said the snow did and that it reminded you of sugar. Sats, snow doesn't taste like sugar and I told you that already but, to you, it did. Either way, I guess it tasted better than the water that hospital was giving you.

Sats, was the snow ever sparkly to you?

\---- 纏 流子


	8. February 28th

Sats,

       

Remember how the doctors said you could go home for a little while? I do but you were still sick, so you still had some of the same stuff you had at the hospital. We didn't go out too much because you couldn't. You were kinda like a baby, like the ones that came early. Of course, you were not a baby but you needed someone to take care of you. To be honest, I thought you wouldn't like that but, well, I was wrong, as you were happy to have me there. Actually, when I came home, I found you sitting at the top of the stairs, holding your arms out. 

After the nurse was done treating you for whatever, you would ask to watch movies or for me to carry you around on my back. Sats, I’m not gonna lie, you kinda felt small, which is weird ‘cause you’re kinda taller and heavier than me but you felt like a little kid.

 

        Sats, I know something is right and I’ve always known but when will you tell me?

 

\---- 纏 流子


	9. March 30th

Hey, Sats,

 

Remember how, before you had to stay in the hospital again, you told me to take you outside to see the cherry blossoms? Of course, that was why they opted to keep you after that. Damn, Sats, you were so persuasive but, then again, anything for good ol’ sweet sick Sis. To be honest, you seemed happier than before and I wanted to cry. I guess you never really got to see how appreciate how pretty those cherry blossoms were.

 

 Seeing those blossoms made you so happy that you passed out. Frankly, Sats, I wish I could have told you “Hell no!” that time but I didn’t because I wanted to see you happy. Either way, when you passed out and had to be taken to the hospital, along with the fact that the doctors yelled at me and shit, I felt that I almost killed you.

     Thanks for forgiving me, Sats

 

\---- 纏 流子  



	10. April 20th

 

Hello, Sats,

 

  Remembered when the doctors let you out of the hospital again? I waited a long ass time for you to come home. Not gonna lie, it didn’t feel right without you home, even if you stayed in bed most of the time you were home. Of course, while you came home, you didn’t tell me much about what the doctors said. I really wished you could have talked about it but you said you didn’t so I left that hot potato alone.

  When you came home, you wanted to make paper cranes again, so I got you more paper. After we made cranes, you wanted to make flowers, so we made those and hung ‘em up, too. You had a ball at doing that.

 

It was really good to have you home, Sats

 

\---- 纏 流子


	11. May 15th

Sats,

 Mako and me baked you a cake. A cake with vanilla icin’ and blue sprinkles.

          Happy birthday, Sats

 

\---- 纏 流子


	12. June 28th

Sis,

 

 Remember when they upped the ante when you came home again?

 

 I do and, by that point, you really couldn’t do anything, except sit in bed and read or, rather, you ask me to get you some paper. I remember how, one time, you asked to me to go out get something of a photo album or whatever. Again, you didn’t tell me why but, then again, you couldn’t really go anywhere or do much of anything, so I figured you wanted it to keep you busy.

  I guess it should be worth noting that Mako got you a Fujifilm instafilm and that you’d use it take pictures. When I came home, you pulled it out and took a picture of me. At least, you didn’t catch me peeing my pants but the face I made did make you laugh.

 

Glad I made you happy, Sis.

 

  ---- 纏 流子


	13. July 30th

Hi, Sats,

 I found you sleeping, so I let you sleep for a while. Of course, you didn’t want to stay asleep, so you woke up and asked for Soroii to bring you some tea. I guess you forgot that he passed away, while you were dreaming. You remembered and asked me how long ago it was that he passed. “He passed away about three years ago.” I told you.

   Sats, I’ve never really seen cry before but you did. You cried for awhile before telling me how happy you were that I was there and how you didn’t want me to go away. I wasn't really sure as to what you were thinking but, then again, I told you that someone close to you since kindergarten had passed away, so I guess you'd be afraid of being alone without me there. Of course, Butler Guy was your family in a time you didn't have one or, rather, you did but it wasn't what you'd call a family.

 Of course, then you found about me and, honestly, it took us awhile to stop beating each other up. You played rough, Sats, and, that time with the remote, you were asking for it. Bygones are bygones and we got nice with each other, except that one time with the checkers (or was it chess? I don't remember). Honestly, I would say you won that one, fair and square, and I was just being an asshole.

Either way, nevertheless, I guess, from your sadness, it was like we grew up together and I can see how much you hated the thought of being left alone. You have friends and they are a nice crazy as hell bunch but, with them there, under all the pride, power, glory, and high and mightiness, you were alone, full of sadness and rage. I don't blame you for being mad at the world and at least a few people in it but, as to be honest, I was pissed at the world, too.

  I was alone. Alone because I hadn't met Senketsu, yet, and alone because Dad left in that goddamned boarding school. I didn't have any friends besides Senketsu and Mako and, frankly, I didn't know we was related but, after I got a little more comfortable with the idea, I found I had more family besides Mako and her crazy ass family, so, in the end, neither one of us needed to be alone.

 

\---- 纏 流子


	14. October 23rd

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I heard somewhere that Ryuuko's birthday was October 23rd. I cannot confirm that to be the case or not, as where I had caught wind of it didn't provide a link, so, for the sake of the story, we'll let it slide.

Hi, again, Sats,

I haven't celebrated my birthday last year and I didn't think it to be too big a deal but you insisted we'd have have fun today. I wasn't sure how but you said you would up with suggestions. You suggested that we'd do what I wanted to do but, to be honest, I didn't have many things to to do besides taking care of you, while you were sick in bed. You said something "fun" and agreed that, while spending the day with you was fun, you wanted to something fun "fun" not take care of you all day.

  I was confused and I asked her as to what we could do that didn't involve taking you out of the house. You asked me what kind of movies did I like and I told you. We watched movies all morning and later that afternoon Mako brought me a lemon cake with cookies 'n creme icing. I remember how I let you eat my piece and how, before she left, Mako told me that your stool pigeons had gotten me presents. It wasn't a whole lot of them, just about three or four and she got me another one of them "glowworms", you known, those thingamajigs that you said are kinda like nightlights for babies. Either way, baby toy or not, you asked to borrow it that night.

 

        I hope you had a nice sleep, Sats.

 

  ---- 纏 流子


	15. November 11th

Sats,

The doctors said you might've had to go back in the hospital. They didn't tell me exactly why but I do know I begged 'em to hold off a bit. They told me they would try but, to be honest, I wish I had begged a little harder. You told me you didn't want to talk to 'em and, as I talked to 'em, I could see why.

You hated it in the hospital and you would stop at nothing to complain about it. I would often think about how you'd be all quiet when the doctors and nurses were around but, when they were gone, you turned in to a sailor and talked exactly like one. I always thought that was funny but, of course, after speaking with them, it doesn't seem as funny anymore.

Sats, I knew you were tired it and couldn't keep fighting to not listen to them, so I decided to act on your behalf. I wanted you to win and, if not going back into the hospital was a victory for you, then I would've keep fighting until the very bitter end.

I promised that, Sats and I tried my damnedest not to break it.

 

Your "sunshine"

         ---- 纏 流子


	16. December 1st: Satsuki's Letter

My dear Imouto-san, Ryuuko,

   Our time together left was short and I am very sorry. I was sick, yes, and, unfortunately, the illness I had was terminal, meaning they couldn't do too much. I didn't want to tell you what the illness and how the prognosis was but it had advanced to where they could only extend it to the next May and then that was it.

Ryuuko, I suppose, as, if you're reading this, I've passed on but I thought I'd tell you the truth, what I've withheld. I was dying of acute later turned chronic heart failure and they couldn't keep it from progressing. Sadly, I could have been cured but to fix it required a heart transplant and there were no donors compatible and neither was there any room on the transplant list, yet they offered to put me on it anyway. I declined, knowing I would die before a match could ever be found.

I knew, being how devoted you are, that you'd have done anything but I didn't want you to sacrifice your life to save mine, thus I decided to keep it and what the doctors offered to a secret and spend whatever time I had left with you. I guess you'd think of me selfish for doing that to you but, please understand, it was better to die happy than live with the pain and guilt of knowing that my only sister had sacrificed her life to save mine.

  If you had died (again), I would have never forgiven myself and, frankly, I would have wanted to join you. If anything, you were my reasons for fighting and that is why I fought this for so long. I was supposed to have died back in May but, with you there, my time has been somewhat extended. I didn't want to see you unhappy, illness be damned.

    I remembered how, before I wrote this, I heard you singing _"You Are My Sunshine"_ and I'd thought I'd join you for a duet. Up until then, you were quite brave but that facade shattered like glass and, as we sang, you cried. I held you, whispering to my self that I was so sorry for putting you through that and everything throughout the course of my illness. It hurt seeing you like that.

 As happy as I wanted to be, I had sacrificed your happiness and I do quite wish I didn't do that but I was selfish in keeping secrets and selfish in stealing some of your life in the final throes of my own.

  I've had so many wishes but a wish is a wish, yet, one wish came true, some years before my final one. I wanted to see and get to know you, frankly, and I've spent over thirteen years wishing for that.

Thank you, Ryuuko, my sunshine for all that you have done.

 Sincerely, with love,

   ---- 鬼龍院 皐月 (A.K.A "Sis")

P.S. I was born a "Kiryuuin" but I am proud to say that I have died a happy "Matoi".


	17. January 10th

**Music Playing:** _[RequieM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fl05hDjkQWQ) _ by Hiroyuki Sawano

* * *

 

Dear, Sis,

  When you were in the hospital, you finished your scrapbook. The doctors, as you wanted to, let you come home. I rested you in your bed. You were really tired, Sats, so tired, you could barely keep your eyes, open. You didn't feel an awful lot like talking and you barely did. I thought I'd sing for you, so I sang the "You Are My Sunshine" song again, except you couldn't really sing along.  That was okay because you could barely breath. Regardless, you decided to hum, so I decided to sing slower, so you could catch up to the words.

   When we were done, I cried and you did, too. We cried until you fell asleep in my arms. You woke up a little bit afterwards, telling me that you loved me and that I was warm. I knew not to leave you and, the next day, today, I should write, I called everyone to send you off. As we held onto you, you just closed your eyes and quietly, as the sun through ice shone rainbows into the room, slipped away from us.

I picked you out a really nice spot. A spot on the hill underneath a cherry tree so you could enjoy flowers bloom, just like you used to. Sats, I wonder if you're reading these and I wonder if my voice could reach you, wherever you've gone.  Sats, I've found your note and, I'm not gonna lie, I wish you were still here.  You're right, I would have done anything, anything to have kept you here and I wish I could have done something. Either way, you still could have told me something was wrong or, at least, told me what I had already known.

   In the end, you didn't sacrifice anything but your life. I wouldn't call you "selfish", Sats, instead, I'd say you were selfless. You wanted to spare my life, even if it meant that you had lost a chance to live longer. Most people would be quick to bump off their kid sister just so they could live longer but you didn't and you didn't let me bump off myself, either. You kept the extent of your illness to yourself, just so I wouldn't be unhappy. Even though I wish you were here, you left me with your memories and the fact I can continue knowing that I've spent your last moments with you. You made sure I didn't let you die alone and to keep you happy. Sats, I would've had it no other way.

   You were twenty-five and half and I was twenty-four and you've lost your life but, regardless, you've let me keep mine. It wasn't that long ago that you slipped away. I wish I could pretend again and have things be the way they were. It's lonely and strange without you being here. It's hard being without you and it seems like only yesterday that I had really gotten to know you. It feels like you slipped away only a few hours ago. You not being here cuts deeply and I could go on and on but, most of all, I just want you back.

* * *

 

 

_"You are my sunshine_

_My only sunshine_

_You make me happy, when skies are grey_

_You'll never know, Sats_

_How much I love you_

_Sis, please never take my sunshine...away"_

* * *

 

 Love you lots, forever and always, **_Sis_** ,

 

          ---- 纏 流子


End file.
